Owned and used by Dr. Burns of Napanee, Ont., a 1947 graduate of the Queen's University Medical Program; some items belonged to Dr. Stratton, who held the Napanee practice prior to Dr. Burns.
Dates
1920
1930
circa 1920-1930
Material
enamelware: white; blue
Inscriptions
None
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-D3-6
Temporary Location
On display "Doctor's Treatment Room c1930" at Museum of Health Care 20 Feb 2016.
Length
22.9 cm
Width
10.8 cm
Depth
3.5 cm
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Dimension Notes
Length 22.9 cm x Width 10.8 cm x Depth 3.5 cm
Condition Remarks
The basin has suffered some cracks and staining on interior, and on the base patches of enamel appear to have been melted at some point; a few points of active corrosion can be seen, especially under the rim.
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Book
Reference Comments
"Hospital & Physicians Equipment and Supplies," by J. F. Hartz Co., 1960, p. 269 (similar to item #7H-380)
Research Facts
A kidney dish (British English) or emesis basin (American English) is a shallow basin with a kidney-shaped base and sloping walls used in medical and surgical wards to receive soiled dressings and other medical waste. Reusable kidney dishes are usually made of stainless steel, while disposable ones may be made of paper pulp or plastic. The concave inner rim shape of the dish helps allows it to be held against the patient's body to catch any falling fluids or debris. Various sizes of emesis basin are a common sight in healthcare settings.
Contrary to its name, emesis basins (or "vomit dish") are not usually used for vomiting, as the depth, size, and sloping walls all contribute to spilling or splashing the vomit rather than catching it.
Emesis basins are suited for more controlled situations. When washing out a small wound, for example, sometimes the wash water is applied from above with an emesis basin held underneath to catch the runoff.